I don't think that there would be much disagreement with my suggestion that Letter 81 is the single most important one in the 'collection.' Liaisons Dangereuses has often been described as a novel of morals, however the moral instruction given by Laclos is certainly ambiguous to the extent that the reader questions whether there is really any moral message at all. Non; pour être adorable il lui suffit d’être elle-même’[6]. I have chosen this passage for Laclos’ remarkable description of the inner beliefs of a woman such as the Marquise de Merteuil. Although the moral ambiguity (and subsequent confusion related to Laclos’ social instruction) is the overarching obscurity within the text, it is the subtleties of the language and stylistic features of Les liaisons dangereuses that ensure this epistolary novel must be read with the awareness of ambiguity that is normally reserved for difficult poetry. My studies soon became a delight. It was declared by the cour de Royale in 1824 as ‘dangerous’. The whole book is a great read, of course, but I have a particular love for the scheming marquise’s autobiography. A reading of the novel will make you realize that the existence of modern day Merteuils and Valmonts isn’t too unimaginable. She forewarns that his writing will eventually reveal his true emotions, and thus lead to his defeat, as « il n’y a rien de si difficile en amour que d’écrire ce qu’on ne sent pas. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. To quote Huizinga, ‘to formalize love is, moreover, a social necessity’[3]. Dangerous Liaisons is about two masters of seduction who play with hearts and lives in 18th century France. Another ambiguity in Laclos’ use of language is his ironic portrayal of courtly love. Laclos provides us with no means of knowing his libertines’ emotions, of deciding whether or not they are jealous or in love. In the absence of an omniscient narrator, Laclos calls upon the reader to draw the spidery threads of the novel together, demonstrating his effective use of the epistolary technique in a highly ambiguous style, as “quand vous écrivez à quelqu’un, c’est pour lui et non pas pour vous: vous devez donc moins chercher à lui dire ce que vous pensez, que ce qui lui plait davantage.” This ambiguity behind each writer’s motivation and each letter’s intended audience can thus be explained through the concept of « le grand théâtre », suggesting that Valmont and the Marquise live only for the applause which their exploits can arouse. To my mind, it is impossible to apply simplistic historical or moral readings to Les Liaisons Dangereuses. In this unequal contest we are lucky not to lose, you unlucky when you do not win. The Moral Structure of Les Liaisons Dangereuses. But I, what have I in common with these empty-headed women? Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. The Waning of the Middle Ages. It is this ‘secret charm’ of hidden sentiments and witty repartee between “immoral” characters that entices the reader into the intimate world of the scheming aristocracy, where the letter is the ultimate weapon in revealing one’s intentions through what remains hidden. I was thought scatter-brained and absent-minded: I paid little attention, inf act, to what everyone was anxious to tell me, but was careful to ponder what they attempted to hide. (Modern Humanities Research Association, 2003), [1] letter 47, p119 [2] letter 100, p262 [3] J. Huizinga, The Waning of the Middle Ages: London, Edward Arnold, p96 [4] 99:260 [5] letter 2, p26 [6] Letter VI, p33 [7] A. Gide, Oeuvres Complètes. Similarly, Valmont does not lose any of his prestige, being killed in a duel. In letter 81, Merteuil reveals herself as a young widow who, through willpower, forces her intellect to control her natural being. I laboured with the same care, and even more difficulty, to repress symptoms of unexpected joy. It is ultimately these embellished descriptions of Tourvel as the reason for his sorrow that cause Tourvel to abandon her strict conduct for the sake of Valmont’s happiness. This is, in fact, where the novel’s moral stance comes into question. Desire remains trapped in writing, ensuring the constant web of ambiguities spun throughout the elegant and complex plot of Les liaisons dangereuses. These questions arise partly from the ambiguities in the novel, namely regarding its moral stance, its position on libertine intelligence and also on society, as well as the ambiguities in language and the epistolary form. Only in fear and trembling can she attempt to be rid of the man her heart so violently rejects. Although the central ambiguity of the novel is its moral instruction, it is the subtleties and obscurities of each epistle that make Laclos’ masterpiece deserving of its enduring celebrity. For example, Mme de Volanges prefers to give advice to others rather than deal with the problems of her own daughter, Cécile. In Yale French Studies, No. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1969) CUSSET, C. Libertinage and Modernity (New Haven; London: Yale University press, 1998) DEJEAN, J.E. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. ‘Je puis dire que je suis mon ouvrage’[9], this shows that she is an artificial creation and has replaced what is natural; emotion, with pure intellect and rationality. She claims that, when a libertine wants to seduce a victim into believing his or her love, any semblance of order betrays their true intentions. » Indeed, Valmont’s death and the austere fates of the other characters act as representations of the ultimate ambiguity of the novel, that of morality. The reader is left with unanswered questions at the end of the novel, whilst also pondering the meaning of its rapid and tragic climax. Similarly, the language of intellect and pedagogy and the ambiguities that come with it also portray the inevitably of tragedy and destruction. Furthermore, it is Laclos’ linguistic treatment of the emotion of love that seeks to confound, as the novel transforms a seemingly pure concept into a sadistic game, masked behind rhetoric of war and religion. ( Log Out /  The whole book is a great read, of course, but I have a particular love for the scheming marquise’s autobiography. In terms of morality, although there is a clear difference between the amoral libertines and the virtuous Mme de Tourvel, we are left questioning Cécile’s moral stance. One of Valmont’s final attempts at winning over Mme de Tourvel is by writing to her confessor, who ironically advises Tourvel to trust Valmont and is flattered to believe he has helped Valmont see the error of his ways. (Twayne Publishers, G.K. Hall & Co. 1978) HUIZINGA, J. In The French Review, Volume 37, No. After this, he falls apart and becomes a vain little man who is unable to deceive anyone other than himself. It is the neat, elegant, improbable way in which the ending is tied up that reminds the reader of Laclos’ heavy use of irony, echoing the foreshadowing of such events in the publisher’s note. Letters 81 - 100 Letters 101 - 124 Letters 125 - 150 Letters 151 - 175 Free Quiz Characters Objects/Places Themes Style Quotes The fate of the protagonists at the end also raises questions about the moral instruction given by the novel. Entirely absorbed in your new pleasure, you give yourself up to it without constraint or reserve: it is of no importance to you how long it lasts. French society was horrified at its publication. The main question the book seems to be throwing, at least at me, is, “Is virtue alone a guarantee for a man, or woman to have a successful and happy life?”. In order to elicit a response from her, Valmont writes to la Présidente in religious terms, asking « ne serait-il donc pas plus digne de vous, de votre âme honnête et douce, de plaindre un malheureux. In letter 81, Merteuil reveals herself as a young widow who, through willpower, forces her intellect to control her natural being. It is the way in which Valmont convinces la Présidente of his love that further demonstrates the ambiguity of the novel and each character’s ability to write for the interpretation of another, as Valmont’s letters to Merteuil differ greatly from the religious imagery he adopts towards Tourvel. ( Log Out /  In this way, there is a great deal of doubt surrounding the language of Liaisons which contributes to the overall mixed moral message of the novel. You will not of course deny truths which are so evident as to be trivial. Laclos, Pierre Choderlos de, Les Liaisons dangereuses, GF Flammarion, Paris, 1981. Tagged 18th century, dangerous liaisons, french, laclos, literature, translation. This useful curiosity, while it increased my knowledge, taught me to dissemble. This apparent frigidity proved later to be the unshakable foundation of his blind trust in me. This subtle and complex example of Laclos’ œuvre ambiguë seeks to assert the idea of certain characters, such as Merteuil, having a privileged point of view above others, with the reader remaining the most well informed. When have you known me break the rules I have laid down for myself or betray my principles? The book, with its variety of perspectives, is far too subtle for that. (Benediction Books, 2010), Articles GRESHOFF, C.J. She is also portrayed as the most natural of the group, directly by the tone of her letters, and indirectly by descriptions from Valmont and Merteuil who recognize her innate goodness; ‘Madame de Tourvel a-t-elle besoin d’illusion? 40. Oh, keep your warnings and your fears for those giddy women who call themselves women of feeling, whose heated imaginations persuade them that nature has placed their senses in their heads; who; having never thought about it, invariably confuse love with a lover who, with their stupid delusions, imagine that the man with whom they have found pleasure is pleasure’s only source; and, like all the superstitious, accord that faith and respect to the priest which is due to only the divinity. A conclusion which might well be made is that Liaisons is a novel of descriptive, rather than normative, morals and that Laclos is simply inviting us to consider with which characters our moral sympathies and empathies lie, rather than giving the reader a specific moral message. Given that Merteuil avoids this fate it would seem that she is in the right whereas Tourvel is in the wrong and, indeed, throughout the novel the reader cannot help but feel an amount of admiration towards Mme Merteuil and an annoyance towards Tourvel for her childish naivety and complete ignorance of the world. (Yale University Press, 1968) SCULLEY HUDON, E. Love and Myth in Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Some however, have decided it as an ideal wedding gift to the bride on her wedding night. ( Log Out /  Consistently, Merteuil and Valmont expose the hypocrisy of society and the inadequacy of the conventional values, or in some cases the apparent lack of values. » Rather than mocking Tourvel, Valmont is anticipating her reading style, and determining how much of what he says will resonate with her religious morals. » It is through such war-like imagery, that the ambiguity surrounding le Vicomte and la Marquise’s relationship is demonstrated. Her virtue is essential to her character, and it is for this reason that she remains outside Valmont’s reach, in contrast to Cécile who is only innocent because of her age. The climax of the novel is essentially a direct result of the struggle experienced by Valmont between his vanity, played on by Merteuil, and his feelings for Tourvel, which Merteuil is aware of and resents. Thus when the reader understands the sinister intentions of Merteuil and Valmont it becomes clear that they have reinstalled into the game of love the very cruelty and barbarity that these formalities were trying to avoid in the first place. Furthermore, the ambiguous nature of the novel is demonstrated in Laclos’ strategic, militant symbolism of love as war, raising questions of whether there is any love expressed between Valmont and Merteuil, or is it based purely on jealousy and a desire to out-manoeuvre one’s opponent on the battlefield of wit and seduction.

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